Method of protecting iron from rust.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT LANG, 0F KARLSRUHE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO HANS FREIHERR.V ONSELDENECK, OF FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY.

METHOD OF PROTECTING IRON FROM RUST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. '7, 1911.

No Drawing. Original application filed September 20, 1909, Serial No.518,656. Divided and this application filed June 29, 1910.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LANG, a subject of the German Empire,residing at Karlsruhc, Baden, Germany, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Methods of Protecting Iron from Rust; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to an improved method of preventing the rustingof iron and steel, and more particularly to a method comprising thegeneral features indicated in my application, Serial No. 518,656, filedSept. 20, 1909, of which this application is a division. In thatapplication there is claimed a method for the purpose indicated whichcomprises broadly, the artificial chemical alteration of the surface tobe treated, followed by the treatment of such surface with a dyeingagent; and there is also claimed a method in which the artificialchemical alteration specified is producel by forming a layer of ironoXid on the surface of the metal, in which case an organic dyeing agenthaving a reducing action is subsequently used. The latter method is asubsidiary one, therefore, in which the oxidation of the metal is anessential step.

The present invention relates to another subsidiary method or process,falling under the generic process first indicated, in which the surfaceof the iron or steel is converted superficially into iron sulfid, afterwhich such surface is colored with a dyestuif. This treatment produces acoloring of the surface Which effectively prevents the formation ofrust. It also presents the advantage, in common with the oXid processpreviously referred to, that it is unnecessary to burn in the reagent orto heat the iron or steel ob-.

ject to redness, and that consequently the process is applicable tolarge objects, such as bridges and the like that are already set up.

In carrying out the process. the iron may be converted superficiallyinto iron sulfid by treatment with certain metallic sulfids, whicheasily part with their sulfur, as for example, aluminum sulfid, ormagnesium sulfid. Thus the finely powdered sulfid may be mixed with anoil or with water and ap- Serial No. 569,531.

plied with a brush. Tliemixture of the sulfid with the moisturecontained in the atmospheric air causes the setting free of sulfuretedhydrogen, which acts on the iron and whatever rust already adheresthereto in such a manner as to produce iron sulfid.

Moreover, the sulfureted hydrogen forms a mixture with the metallicsulfid and with the hydrocarbon, viz., the oil, which is preferablyparaflin oil. Of course, it is assumed that the binding medium containsa certain amount, of water. The surface so converted can now be coloredwith a dyeing agent,'such as an anilin or other organic dyestuff. Bywarming the above mentioned metallic sulfid, when mixed with a-baseproducim a dyestuff, a so-called sulfurized dyestu is obtained which isespecially fast and permanent. It will be understood, therefore, thatheating the object to redness is obviated and that a uniform coloring isbrought about by mixing with the iron sulfid layer such dyestuffs as arebrought into action by purely chemical means. The dyestuff is stable toacids and alkalis and forms a permanent and durable combination with thepreviously prepared surface layer of iron sulfid.

I claim:

1. A method of coloring iron and steel to prevent rust, which consistsin forming a layer of iron sulfid on the surface of the metal to betreated, and then coloring such surface with a dyeing agent.

2. A method of coloring iron and steel to prevent rust, which comprisesforming a layer of iron sulfid on the surface of the metal, and thencoloring such surface with an organic dyeing agent.

3. A method of coloring iron and steel to prevent rust, which comprisesthe artificial formation of a layer of iron sulfid on the surface of themetal, and the subsequent treatment of such surface with an anilindyeing agent.

t. A method of coloring iron and steel to prevent rust, which comprisestreating the surface of the metal with a metallic sulfid to create asuperficial layer of iron sulfid, and then dyeing the surface formed bysuch layer.

5. A method of coloring iron and steel to prevent rust, which comprisesapplying a solution of metallic sulfid to the surface to In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature,

be treated, whereby a layer of iron sulfid in presence of two witnesses.

is formed, and then dyeing'such layer with an organic dyein agent.ALBERT LANG.

6. A mfifihodsuc as described, comprisin Y the coating of the surface tobe treated wit Witnesses:

a solution of metallic sulfid mixed with oil D. N. HAUsER,

or its equivalent, and then treating the sur- HANS ELBERT.

face with an anilin dyeing agent.

